Edgewood has grasslands, chaparral, coastal scrub, foothill woodlands, and wetlands supporting over 500 distinct species, three of which are federally listed as endangered or threatened.

[3] Edgewood contains all the major ecological zones specific to the San Francisco Peninsula with the exception of Redwood forest.

[4] Various development projects were proposed on what is now Edgewood beginning in 1967 including a college, recreational complex, solar energy facility, and a golf course.

In 1983, the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) filed a lawsuit challenging the EIR, which was settled out-of-court on the condition that sensitive habitats would be given protection.

[5] In 1992, two-thirds of Edgewood Park were set aside for a natural preserve with one-third to be considered for the golf course, pending the results of a feasibility study.